How is WPI’s reputation in MA engineering companies compared to Purdue, UIUC, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, UCLA, Case Western, RPI?
WPI is very well regarded on the east coast but not as well known on the west oats or in the south
*west coast
No one around here (Boston) knows what a good school U. Wisconsin is. I’d guess no one in Wisconsin knows what a good school WPI is. The competition here in this town for jobs IN GENERAL would be more like, WPI versus candidates from MIT, Northeastern, BU, Tufts, RPI, Carnegie Mellon, GA Tech, etc. However, all of the other schools you mentioned in the original post are ranked higher than WPI on US News, by far. So if you’re thinking employable outside of the Northeast, they probably would be a better bet.
As someone from the east coast, I would say that the only schools people around here would think are “better” for engineering would be RPI, UMich, and Purdue. UCLA is a great school but has a bit of a party school reputation here. Most people around here know nothing about Case Western or U Wisconsin.
Also, @redpoodles, USNews rankings are a poor way to judge reputation in a field.
NEU has been actively trying to game their rankings and have succeeded. However, many people still think of it as a commuter school. Ask any engineers around Boston. I would be quite surprised if any ranked WPI below NEU.
@PurpleTitan That’s not what I said at all. I said WPI candidates for MA employment would more likely be competing with candidates from other regional schools, which include NEU. Those other schools that the OP named have better name recognition than WPI outside of New England, period. That’s what I said. And they do, partly due to US News whether you like it or not.
@redpoodles, except that the OP was specifically asking about WPI’s reputation among MA engineering firms.
And again, you’re misguidedly relying too heavily on USNews rankings.
Outside New England, most people would not have heard of WPI (though some engineers would have). However, NEU wouldn’t register as some exceptional school in engineering (to most people outside NE, they’d be thought of as a commuter school that’s on par with the local directional). So even outside of New England, I’d be surprised if any engineers ranked WPI below NEU.
WPI has a nice reputation in New England, as @PurpleTitan said. Case Western and UWisconsin have regional pull in the midwest. Purdue, UIUC, UMich, UCLA, and RPI have more of a national reputation.